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Almond Apricot Bundt Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache #BundtBakers

Little known fact about me: I love chocolate. Okay, that might have been obvious by now if you are a frequent visitor of my little part of these here interwebs, but seriously, I live for chocolate. I’m not even in the slightest bit embarrassed about admitting to the fact that I probably eat chocolate almost every day. Most of the time, it’s just a small square, or a few chocolate chips, but I have a hard time going a full day without my much needed chocolate fix.

Chocolate, and let’s be specific here – dark chocolate – is one of life’s simple pleasures that really just seems to make everything better. This obsession with chocolate must be genetic. My mom shares the same infatuation with the robust, smooth, slightly sweet, slightly bitter taste of dark, dark chocolate. To her, it’s not a dessert unless there is chocolate involved, and we both agree, the darker the better.

So you can imagine how excited I was when I learned this month’s #BundtBaker’s theme: Chocolate! Each month seems to be getting better and better! I recently made an intense chocolate cake for my Mom’s birthday, so I wanted to make something a little different, but equally delicious and obviously smothered in chocolate. I love the combination of fruit and chocolate, and since nothing is really in season these days (February is just the worst), I decided to incorporate the fresh fruit flavor from apricot preserves.

This cake is incredibly delicious. The rich, almond flavor really shines from the addition of both almond paste and almond extract. The apricot preserves pairs wonderfully with the almond flavor, and the ribbon of preserves in the middle makes each slice as gorgeous as it is delicious. And of course, the rich dark chocolate ganache smothered on top makes it that much better! The flavors in this cake remind me of the petit fours you get in Paris – nutty, fruity, chocolatey, absolutely dessert perfection. Don’t forget to check out what others in our Bundt group baked up this month. Links below!

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour the bundt pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand up mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer), combine the butter, sugar and almond extract, and beat on medium speed until combined. Break up the almond paste into small pieces and add to the bowl, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the egg whites, beating just long enough to incorporate after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl while beating to ensure batter is evenly mixed.

Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the batter, and mix on low speed until combined. Add half of the milk and mix on low speed until just combined. In alternating additions, mix in half the remaining flour, then the remaining milk, and then finally the remaining flour. Mix on low speed just until dry ingredients are incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Make sure not to over-mix.

Add 1/4 cup of the apricot preserves (reserving the remaining 1/2 cup) and lightly mix into the batter.

Pour 1/2 the batter into the prepared bundt pan and spread into an even layer. By spoonfuls, drop the remaining 1/2 cup of apricot preserves evenly over the batter, and smooth to an even layer. Pour the remaining batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cake is set and golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, but may have a little crumb stuck to it. Be sure not to over-bake. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then invert onto a cooling rack to cool. Allow cake to cool completely before glazing.

For the ganache, add the chocolate and butter to a double broiler over low heat, and melt. Stir to ensure all chocolate is melted, and then pour over the cake and allow it to drip down the sides.

Cake will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature, stored in an air-tight container.

Check out what others in our #bundtbakers group are up to! Links below!

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. If you are just a lover of Bundt baking, you can find all of our recipe links by clicking our badge above or on our group Pinterest board.

Cassie…this cake is lovely! Just look at that soft, sweet crumb! I love the combinations you’ve used. I love apricots and your double dose of almond flavor. And all drenched in chocolate! Nicely done! : )